LV installation

The LV installation which forms the subject of this study is shown in figure 1
above. This study includes discrimination and coordination of protection
between the LV equipment and the protection located upstream of each MV/LV
power supply transformer.
Figure 1 - Installation example (with 1600 kVA MV/LV transformers) with
indication of the order in which discrimination is examined
The selections refer to Schneider Electric circuit breakers (Master pact NW
and Compact NSX type).
The installation includes 2 medium voltage 20 kV incoming lines protected by a
fuse, each equipped with an MV/LV transformer with characteristics 20 kV/410
V, 1600 kVA, and an incoming LV circuit breaker (A) or (B). A section switch
(C) can be used to operate both parts of the installation together or separately,
in order to optimize availability of power in the event of failure of one of the two
incoming lines.

Contents
1. Dimensioning the protective equipment
1. Rating of devices (A) and (B) installed on LV incoming lines
2. Rating of fuses installed on MV incoming lines
3. Breaking capacity for the various devices
1. Determining the short-circuit currents at different points in the
installation
2. Selecting breaking capacity
2. Selecting devices to ensure discrimination
1. Principle
2. Discrimination between circuit breakers (F) and (D)
3. Discrimination between circuit breakers (G) and (E)
4. Discrimination between circuit breakers (E) and (C)
5. Discrimination between circuit breakers (D) and (C)
6. Discrimination between circuit breakers (C) and (B) or circuit breakers (C)
and (A)
7. Discrimination between circuit breakers (A) or (B) and MV fuses
1. Settings for standard selective trip units
2. Settings for trip units with IDMTL curves

1. Dimensioning the protective equipment

1.1 Rating of devices (A) and (B) installed on LV incoming
lines:
Determining the nominal current for the LV incoming lines:
1600 kVA at 410 V corresponds to a nominal current of 1,600,000 / (410 × √3) =
2253 A.
Incoming devices with a rating of 2500 A are therefore chosen.
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1.2 Rating of fuses installed on MV incoming lines:

The nominal current for the MV incoming lines is:
In = 1,600,00 / (20 000 × √3) = 46 A
Based on the manufacturers’ selection tables, fuses with a rating of 80 A are
therefore chosen (in order to take account of inrush and overload currents,
while providing thermal protection for the transformer).
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1.3 Breaking capacity for the various devices

1.3.1 Determining the short-circuit currents at different points in
the installation
Each transformer has a short-circuit current Isc equal to 36 kA (current linked to
the transformer power and short-circuit voltage). When the section switch is
closed, downstream of devices (A) and (B) and ignoring the busbar
impedances, the short-circuit current is 2 × 36 = 72 kArms

Given the cable impedances, the short-circuit current crossing the circuit
breakers located at (F) and (G) is no more than approximately 50 kA.

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1.3.2 Selecting breaking capacity

The breaking capacity required for each device must be determined according
to the short-circuit current values at different points in the installation.

 CBs (D) and (E) must have a breaking capacity higher than 72 kA,
 CBs (A), (B) and (C), a breaking capacity higher than 36 kA is adequate.
 CBs (F) and (G) must have a breaking capacity of 50 kA minimum.
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2. Selecting devices to ensure discrimination

2.1 Principle
Discrimination is determined by comparing the characteristics of each circuit
breaker with those of the protective device (circuit breaker or fuse) located
immediately upstream.
The circuit breakers located furthest downstream in the installation should be
selected and set in order to trip “as quickly as possible”, so as to limit the
stresses on the installation in the event of an overload.
Once the characteristics of these circuit breakers have been established, one
can work back up the installation, ensuring discrimination between circuit
breakers 2 by 2 (downstream circuit breaker/upstream circuit breaker).

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2.2 Discrimination between circuit breakers (F) and (D) 1

 At F: In = 185 A; Isc = 50 kA
A circuit breaker with a rating of 250 A is suitable, for example a Compact
NSX 250 H (breaking capacity 70 kA at 415 V).
 At D: In = 700 A; Isc = 72 kA
A circuit breaker with a rating of 800 A is suitable, for example a Compact
NSX 800 L or a Masterpact NT 08 L1 (breaking capacity 150 kA at 415 V).
 Discrimination mechanism
Device (F) is very limiting (the maximum current which can cross it is 22
kApeak for a prospective short-circuit of 50 kArms), and this circuit breaker
therefore allows “pseudo-time” discrimination with circuit breaker (D).
This discrimination is improved by applying the “SELLIM”
principle(discrimination principle which allows both discrimination and
current limitation.) to circuit breaker (D). This device, which is also limiting
(with low EDW to ensure very good current limiting), enables total
discrimination between (F) and (D) since, according to the SELLIM
principle of discrimination, the device on (D) does not trip on the 1st
current wave.

Note: – The “SELLIM” function is systematically included in Micrologic

– Schneider Electric trip units, and automatically activated on the devices
concerned.
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.3 Discrimination between circuit breakers (G) and (E) 1’

 At G: In = 330 A; Isc = 50 kA
A circuit breaker with a rating of 400 A is suitable, for example a Compact
NSX 400 H (breaking capacity 70 kA at 415 V).
  At E: In = 750 A; Isc = 72 kA
The same circuit breaker (current limiting) can be used as for (D), but
since the NSX 400 H current limiting is weaker than on the NS 250 H, this
combination will not be totally discriminating.
To achieve this discrimination, a selective circuit breaker must be selected,
for example Masterpact NW 10 H2 (In 1000 A, breaking capacity 100 kA
at 415 V, Icw = 85 kArms /1 s). In addition, the current limiting power of
device (G) enables, if necessary, pseudo-time discrimination.
 Discrimination mechanism
Since the Icw (85 kA) is less than the breaking capacity (100 kA), this
device has an instantaneous self-protection release (DIN) with a threshold
of 170 kApeak.
With an Isc = 72 kArms, the maximum current at (E) is 72 × 2.3 = 165
kApeak. Since the DIN threshold is therefore never reached, no trip will be
generated which would hinder discrimination. Moreover, in the event of a
short-circuit at (G), the maximum current, which corresponds to an Isc of
50 kA, will be limited for (G) to 30 kApeak!
Discrimination will therefore be total, as long as device (E) is fitted with
a trip unit with an instantaneous threshold higher than 30 kApeak, say 30/r
= 21 kArms = 21 In, and that the short-time release delay is set on the 0.1
s band.
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2.4 Discrimination between circuit breakers (E) and (C) 2

This discrimination is not essential if both incoming lines are operational (since
opening of the section switch does not interrupt the power supply via (A) and
(B)). Conversely, it is essential if incoming line (B) is non-operational.

 Value of the nominal current In at (C):

To offer the maximum flexibility, the section switch devices have identical
dimensions to the incoming devices, ie. In = 2500 A.
As Isc = 36 kA, a selective circuit breaker placed at (C) allows time
discrimination with (E) and even more with (D) which is current limiting, for
example a Masterpact NW 25 H1 (In 2500 A, breaking capacity 65 kA at
415 V, Icw 65 kA/1 s).
 Reason for this selection
Since the Icw for the device equals the breaking capacity, it does not
incorporate an instantaneous self-protection release. Time discrimination
can therefore be applied without restriction up to the breaking capacity.
 The circuit breaker (C) must therefore be fitted with a selective trip unit,
with its instantaneous release set to the “Off” position, and the short-time
delayon the 0.2 s band (since the short-time release delay of circuit
breaker (E) is set on the 0.1 s band).
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2.5 Discrimination between circuit breakers (D) and (C) 2’

The solution chosen for discrimination between (E) and (C) is also suitable
between (D) and (C) since (C) is totally discriminating up to its breaking
capacity.

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2.6 Discrimination between circuit breakers (C) and (B) or

CBs (C) and (A) 3 3’
(A) and (B) are selective devices, without a self-protection instantaneous
release. Here too, time discrimination applies up to the breaking capacity, with
for (A) and (B): Their instantaneous release set to the “Off” position and their
short-time delay set on the 0.3 s band (since the short-time release delay of
circuit breaker (C) is set on the 0.2 s band).

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2.7 Discrimination between CBs (A) or (B) and MV

fuses 4 4’
To analyze this discrimination, we need to compare the trip curves for LV circuit
breakers and MV fuses. To do this, transpose the MV fuse curve to LV, by
multiplying the current scale by the transformer ratio, or here 20,000/410 =
48.8 (see figure 2).

Discrimination is considered with 2 types of trip unit:

1. Standard selective trip unit, and
2. Trip unit with IDMTL curves.

Figure 2 – Analysis of discrimination between an LV circuit breaker and MV fuses – applied to

the example of the installation concerned

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2.7.1 Settings for standard selective trip units

  Long-time threshold
No problem, the non-tripping limit current for the fuse is well above
the limit current for circuit breaker tripping. The long-time threshold can
therefore be set to maximum (ie. Ir = In).
Long-time delay and short-time threshold
The blowing characteristic for MV fuses has a much steeper slope than
that of the long-time delay release (LT) tripping, with a slope of I2t (see
fig. 2). To avoid the curves intersecting, the long-time delay (tr), or short-
time threshold (Isd), must be set to sufficiently low values.
A good compromise in this example consists of setting tr = 12 s (at 6 Ir, in
a range generally going from 1 to 24 s), and Isd = 4 Ir (in a range from 1.5
to 10 Ir).

These values allow the passage of peak currents at switch-on or starting

currents for loads located downstream without false tripping. A detailed
study needs to be undertaken on these loads. With a higher short-time
delay threshold, 5 Ir for example, tr should be reduced to 4 s.
 Short-time delay
As the short-time delay is set on the 0.3 s band, to ensure discrimination
with the devices downstream as indicated above, the fuse and circuit
breaker curves cross at around 10 In (see fig. 2). Discrimination between
the circuit breaker and the MV fuse is therefore limited to approx. 25
kArms, for a maximum short-circuit current Isc of 36 kArms.
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2.7.2 Settings for trip units with IDMTL curves

With these trip units, it is possible to select the slope of the long-time curve. In
this case, we can opt for the “HVF” (High Voltage Fuse) slope, which is the
closest to that for the fuse (slope of I4t).

With a delay at 6 Ir of 2s, better immunity to high transient currents (peak

currents at switch-on or starting) is possible, in the zone for currents between 5
and 10 Ir, since the short-time threshold can be set at any desired value up to
10 Ir (see fig. 2).